Seahawks to Hill: Stay away, for now

Football: Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says the team told troubled linebacker Leroy Hill to stay away from this weekend’s minicamp to avoid being a distraction.

Hill missed Seattle’s first minicamp last month, and Carroll said Sunday as the team wrapped up its second minicamp that Hill was told to get his personal matters under control.

Hill was arrested for investigation of domestic violence in the Seattle suburb of Issaquah in early April, just days after reaching a plea deal on a marijuana charge in Georgia. Hill could be subject to testing and possible discipline in the NFL’s confidential substance abuse program. Carroll says once Hill gets his business handled, “we’ll see where it goes.”

Associated Press

Ex-WSU assistant dies

Football: Bob Karmelowicz, a football coach with three-plus decades of experience, has died. He was 60.

The Detroit Lions, who employed Karmelowicz as defensive line coach last year, announced Sunday he died the previous day because of an illness.

Karmelowicz spent the past 18 seasons as a defensive line coach in the NFL with Detroit, the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals.

He was with the Miami Hurricanes from 1989-91, helping Warren Sapp go from playing tight end to defensive tackle. Prior to his stay in Miami, Karmelowicz was an assistant at Washington State under coach Dennis Erickson in 1987 and 1988.

He is from Plainville, Conn., and played at the University of Bridgeport.

Associated Press

Thorpe eyes 2012 return

SWIMMING: Australian swimming great Ian Thorpe is reportedly considering a comeback in a bid to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

The Courier-Mail newspaper reported today that Thorpe talked to several of Australia’s leading sprinters recently about a potential return for the 400-meter freestyle relay. Thorpe, 27, retired in 2006 after winning five Olympic gold medals.

His manager, David Flaskas, said Thorpe had no set plan to return to competition but was in good shape.

“Nothing is impossible but as far as I’m aware there is nothing startling planned for the immediate future,” Flaskas told the newspaper.

Associated Press